Snap-switch.



G. W. HART.

SNAP SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1912.

l 1 03, 112. Patented July 14,1914.

Z l 4 lll'fllnl 5 42 5148 lllull if 4,6 v/M glvw wtoz 1 D STATES GERALD W. HART, OF WEST HARTFORD,

RTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HA OF NEW JERSEY.

PATENT OFFICE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE HART suAr-swrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 14, 1914.

Application filed July 29, 1912. Serial No. 711,964.

W/Vest Hartford, county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-swltches,

, of which the following is a full, clear, and

- push button switches, the particular object I exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in switches, and has. for its object to produce a simple and efficient snap switch mechanism suitable for various types of switches, but particularly adapted for reciprocating being to provide a mechanism in which the actuating member partially wlthdraws a detent from holding position, the w1thdrawal.

being completed by the action of the switch throwing spring.

The following is a description of a reciprocating double push button switch embodying my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows the push button switch in side elevation. Fig. 2 shows a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section of the line ae-aa, Fig. 2. Figs. 4, and-6 are detail views of certain parts.

Referring more particularly to the draw- I ings, 1 is a part of the casing to which is secured the base plate 2 carrying a support having twoextensions 33 carrying the moving parts of the switch mechanism. Mounted in the support at the portions 3-3, so as to rotate relatively thereto, is a shaft 4 carrying a sleeve 5 loosely mounted thereon and a switch blade carrier 6 on whichis supported the switch blade or arm 7 suitably insulated therefrom and adapted to engage and disengage contacts 8, the carrier, blade and contacts being of any ordinary type. Between the extensions 3-3 and revolubly mounted on the, shaft 4 so as to revolve about the axis thereof are a detent plate 9 and actuating member 10, to which member are connected push buttons 11-11; The detent plate 9 has a projection 12 which engages a detent 13, having a sloping surface facing the axis of the shaft 4, preferably a steel ball, and moving in the grooves in the inner surfaces of the extensions 33 and forced toward holding position, in the present instance toward the axis of the shaft 4, by the spring 14. The detent plate has an arm 15, the

outer end of which fits in a recess 16 in the carrier plate 6. The actuating member has a substantially circular surface 17 terminating in two projections 1818 and an arm 19 which in normal position lies over the arm the two arms being embraced by the two ends of the switch throwing spring 20, which thus connect the detentplate and actuatihg plate together so that the former tends to follow the movement of the latter. The extension 3 has stop shoulders 21-21 for limiting the throw of the actuating member 10 by engaging its arm 19.

The projections 1818 are such that when the actuating member is given its maximum throw as limited by the stop shoulders 21 or 21, the ball detent 13 being engaged by one of the projections 1818 position so that the projection 12 engages the sloping surface of the detent facing the shaft 4, and under the action of the spring forces the detent out of its path, thereafter moving until the detent is free to move so as to engage its farther side. When a ball detent is used, the projections 18-18 move the ball so that its center will be slightly beyond the extremity of the projection12 on the detent plate the center of the ball in the preferred form lying normally in the path of a portion of the projection 12 as shown.

The operation of the switch shown is as follows: When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, a pressure on the button 11 moves the actuating arm member 10 to the position shown in dots in Fig. 3. This places the spring 20 under tension, one end being restrained by the arm 15, and causes the projection 18' to engage the detent 13 and force it to the potition shown in dots in Fig. 3, in which positionof the carrier the projection 12 engages the detent so as to exert a sidewise pressure on its sloping sur face on the side facing the axis of the shaft 4, whereupon the detent plate, by reason of the action of the heretofore stationary end of the spring upon the arm, causes the. projection 12 to move the detent entirely out of the path of the projection 12 which snaps quickly to the other side of the detent, carrying with it the carrier plate 6 and switch plate in whose notch 16 the arm 15 of the detent plate lies. As soon as the projection thereon, will be forced away from holding being moved by the arm 19 and the other 12 has passed the def/ant 13, the detent is returned toward its normal position by the spring use as to rise behind the projection 12 and hold the detent plate in its new pos1- tion, and when the button 11 is fully re-' leased, return to its normal position so that the parts are ready for a similar reverse movement when the other button 11' is said shaft so as to be revoluble about the axis thereof a switch-throwing spring connecting said plate and said member, a detent tending to move toward holding position, said detent plate having a pro ection normally engaging said detent, and said actuating means having a projection adapted to engage said detent and foree it away from holding position but not entirely out of the path of the projection of said detent plate,

said detent having a sloping surface engaged bv said last named projection when said detent has been moved by said actuating means, so as to force said detent entirely out of the path of said last named projection and a switch irm connected to the detent plate so as to follow its movements.

2. The combination of a detent-plate hav-' ing a to and fro movement and provided with a projection forming two looking recesses on opposite sides thereof, a detent having a surface facing said detent-plate and sloping in opposite directi ns, a spring forcing said detent into locking engagement with said detent-plate, said detent entering said recesses alternately as said detent-plate is movedto and fro, means having a to and fro movement and having two surfaces adapted to engage said detent, one at a time, and force it partially but not entirely out of said locking recesses when said means is in either of lts two extreme positions, a driving spring connecting said detent-plate and said means so as to be put under. te sion when said means is moved in either direction and acting when under drivin tension to move said detent fully. out 0 said holding recesses.

3. The combination of a detent-plate having a to and fro movement and provided with a projection forming two locking recesses on opposite sides thereof, a detent having a surface of revolution about an axis at right angles to the plane in which said detent-plate moves and revoluble about said axis, a spring forcing said detent tomos 11a ward loclnng engagement with said detentplate so that it enters'said recesses alternately as said detent-pliate moves to and fro, means having a. to and fro movement and having two surfaces adapted to respectively engage said detent and force it artially but not entirely out of said loc ng recesses when said means is in either of its two extreme positions, a driving spring connecting said detent-plate and means so as to be put under tension when said means is moved in either direction and acting when under tension to cause said detent-plate to complete the moving of said detent out of its respective recesses.

d. The combination of a detent-plate having a to and fro movement and rovided with a projection forming two 100 g recesses on op osite sides thereof, a detent havin a sur ace of revolution about an axis at rig is angles to the plane in which said detent-plate moves, the axis of said detent normally lying in the path of a portion of said projection, a'spring forcing said detent toward lockin engagement with said detent-plate so tat it enters said recesses alternately as said detent-plate is moved in either direction, means having a to and fro movement and having two surfaces adapted to respectively engage said detent and force it partially but not entirely out of said locking recesses when said means is in either of its two extreme positions, a driving spring connecting said detent-plate and means so as to be put under tension when said means is moved in either direction and acting when under tension to cause said detent-plate to complete the moving of said detent out of its respective recesses.

5. The combination of a detent-plate having a to and fro movement, a detent ha'ving a surface of revolution about an axis at right angles to the plane of movement of said detent-plate, means having a to and fro movement in a plane parallel to said detent-plate and acting at the end of each of its movements' to engage said detent and force it away from normal holding position, and a spring connecting said detent-plate and means. w

6. The combination of a detent plate having a to and fromovement, a detent having a surface of. revolution of three hundred and sixty degrees about an axis at right angles to the plane of movement of said detent plate, said amls normally lying in the path of a portion of said detent plate, means having a to and fro movement in a plane parallelto said detent plate and acting at the end of'each of its movements to engage said detent and force it away from normal holding position, and a spring connecting said detent plate and means.

7. The combination of a detent plate having a to and fro movement and provided l30 with a projection forming part thereof, a detentengaging opposite sides of said projection alternately, means moving to and fro in a plane parallel to said detent plate and acting on each of its movements to engage said detent and force it away from normal holdingposition, a spring connecting said has been partially moved from holding position by said actuating means and said spring is under intended driving tension, so that said detent is forced by sald projection entirely out of the path of said projection. 1 p

GERALD W. HART.

Witnesses:

S. MOODY, H. A. HART. 2

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

